Blu-ray Review: SPEAK NO EVIL

Home » Blu-ray Review: SPEAK NO EVIL

Nov 17 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

Americans Ben (Scoot McNairy) and Louise Dalton (Mackenzie Davis) had moved to London with their ever-anxious 11-year-old daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) when Ben’s was offered a new position at his work. After Ben’s new job fell through, the couple decided to stay in England, but hit a bit of a rough spot in their marriage. When the family goes on a vacation in Italy, they meet and hit it off with an English family. Paddy Field (James McAvoy) is a doctor but can be a bit boisterous and unpredictable, his wife Ciara Field (Aisling Franciosi) is also a bit on the wild side, and their son Ant (Dan Hough) can’t really speak but gets along with Agnes. As the holiday comes to an end, and the two families are saying their goodbyes, the Fields suggest that the Daltons come visit them at their home in the West Country. The Daltons think this is just one of those formalities you say to strangers you’ve just met on vacation, but soon realize that the Fields actually meant it.

It seems a bit odd to go stay at the home of strangers you’ve only just met, but the Daltons decide to take them up on the offer, and make the trip to the Fields’ remote English farmhouse. When they arrive, things aren’t quite what they expected and feel a little off. The house is a bit rundown, even though Paddy is a doctor, and Paddy and Ciara also seem to have a lack of boundaries, doing and saying whatever is on their mind. The Daltons also start to notice the tough love way Paddy treats his son, and see that Paddy seems to have a knack for pressing people’s buttons, though they can’t believe that he would be doing it on purpose. They try to be polite and excuse things as a matter of a difference in culture, but Louise grows increasingly more uncomfortable and wants to leave. At the same time, Ben can’t help but be in awe of Paddy’s more alpha-male nature—he exudes a confidence he only wishes he had.

However, each time the Daltons try to come up with an excuse to leave the farmhouse, something seems to draw them back—and usually that is due to Paddy manipulating the situation. But things get increasingly strange and intense, and the couple starts to realize their lives may be in danger, so politeness and rules of etiquette start to go out the window. However, can they find a way to escape this family and farmhouse without alerting Paddy to the fact that they may know what’s actually going on?!

Speak No Evil is a 2024 English remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name, and comes from writer/director James Watkins (Eden Lake, The Woman in Black). I watched the original Danish film after checking out this version, and the two movies are very similar. That said, I definitely preferred this remake—the Danish version does get a bit more gruesome and quite bleak at times. The remake is a thoroughly engaging film, that starts off as more of a psychological thriller, before becoming a full-blown horror movie by the end. From the start, the viewer senses that something is a bit off with Paddy and his family, and this feeling grows more and more as the film goes along. There is this sense that Paddy is pushing buttons and manipulating things, but it’s not clear why. As the details of what’s actually going on start to get revealed, the film transforms into more of a standard survivor horror/thriller, with this family becoming more and more desperate to escape.

As the film opens, we meet the two families, The Daltons left all of their family and friends in America to move to London for Ben’s job, but when that didn’t pan out, they stayed. Ben still struggles to find a job, which makes him feel like less of a man. Meanwhile, Louise is a bit of a helicopter mom to their daughter Agnes, who is constantly anxious about everything, and can’t go anywhere without her comfort rabbit stuffed animal. Louise is a bit of a people-pleaser, which is why she agreed to stay in London even after Ben’s job fell through. And it’s also why she is initially too polite to say anything when things start to feel off at the farmhouse. All of these things lead to arguments between Ben and Louise, and puts a strain on their marriage. Meanwhile, the Fields seem to have a very happy, physical relationship. They are loud and not shy when it comes to PDA. However, that love doesn’t seem to extend to their son Ant, who they often yell at or treat quite roughly. Paddy can also be a bit toxic at times, always wanting to assert his masculinity. Though he has a way of doing things that can be charming one minute and creepy the next. All of this starts to make the Daltons feel a bit uncomfortable during their stay.

This film has a very small cast, but the performances are great. It was wonderful to see Halt and Catch Fire’s Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis reunited as Ben and Louise, and they play off one another really well. However, the true star of the film is James McAvoy, who proves he is an expert at his craft. There are so many layers to Paddy. He can be charming, fun and boisterous one minute, and dangerous and bloodthirsty the next. But even when he’s being nice, you can sense this evil, manipulative person underneath. McAvoy really delivers on these nuances.

Universal has released Speak No Evil on Blu-ray and DVD, and it is also available in 4K digitally. We received the Blu-ray release for review. The film can get a bit dark at times, but the picture remains clean and clear throughout, with no signs of crush. Colors are bright and beautiful as things open on the Italian holiday, and get more soft and muted as the Daltons head to the countryside, adding to the creepier tone of the film. As for the audio, I didn’t notice much use of the surround channel—the audio primarily comes from the front, though there is some general ambiance, and a full-sounding, haunting score.

The Blu-ray release only includes a single disc, which resides in standard HD keepcase, along with an embossed carboard slipcover, and an insert containing a code to redeem for an HD MA digital copy of the film. The disc includes about 18 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and filmmakers as well as a director commentary.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:49:54)

1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
Audio: English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 7.1 Digital Plus, French 7.1 Digital Plus
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital (code may not be valid after 12/31/2025):

HD Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:
Play All, or select from:

Nuclear Families (8:53)
The cast and crew discuss the film’s ensemble and the chemistry between them, the themes of the movie, and each of the main characters and the actors behind them. Includes behind-the-screes footage, and interviews with director/writer James Watkins, and stars James McAvoy (“Paddy”), Mackenzie Davis (“Louise Dalton”), Scoot McNairy (“Ben Dalton”), Aisling Franciosi (“Ciara”), Dan Hough (“Ant”) & Alix West Lefler (“Agnes Dalton”).
A Horrifying Crescendo (5:21)
The cast and crew discuss the more horrifying, darker and thrilling aspects of the film/story as the characters head down their dark corridor, and how the horror elements are grounded in reality. Includes behind-the-screes footage, and interviews with director/writer James Watkins, executive producer Beatriz Sequeira, and stars James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Aisling Franciosi & Alix West Lefler.
The Farmhouse of Horrors (4:00)
The cast and crew discuss the farmhouse location, and how it is its own character in film. Includes behind-the-screes footage, and interviews with director/writer James Watkins, production designer James Price, set decorator Prue Howard, assistant location manager Nick Clark, and stars James McAvoy, Aisling Franciosi, Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis & Alix West Lefler.
Feature Commentary With Writer/Director James Watkins (1:50:03)
Writer/Director James Watkins provides an informative commentary throughout the film. He gets a little technical, constantly pointing out some of the filming techniques and lenses used. But he also shares interesting behind-the-scenes stories, talks about the filming locations, the actors, music, and more. He also discusses some of the changes he made from the original Danish film.

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Recommended

Speak No Evil is a thoroughly engaging film that starts of as a phycological thriller before becoming a full-blown survival horror movie. James McAvoy gives a stellar, layered performance that is both charming and menacing, and he is joined by some talented co-stars. Universal’s Blu-ray looks and sounds great, and includes a small but entertaining assortment of bonus material. This may be a remake of a Danish film, but it actually surpasses the original. This release is an easy recommendation for horror/thriller and/or McAvoy fans.